NOIDA, INDIA - AUGUST 11: Dak Kanwarias walk carrying holy water from the Ganga on the eve of Shivratri festival on August 11, 2015 in Noida, India. These Kanwars run a long distance to fetch holy water from the river Ganga, which is later offered at the local temples on Shivratri. (Photo by Sunil Ghosh/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

NOIDA, INDIA - AUGUST 11: Dak Kanwarias walk carrying holy water from the Ganga on the eve of Shivratri festival on August 11, 2015 in Noida, India. These Kanwars run a long distance to fetch holy water from the river Ganga, which is later offered at the local temples on Shivratri. (Photo by Sunil Ghosh/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

NOIDA, INDIA - AUGUST 11: Dak Kanwarias walk carrying holy water from the Ganga on the eve of Shivratri festival on August 11, 2015 in Noida, India. These Kanwars run a long distance to fetch holy water from the river Ganga, which is later offered at the local temples on Shivratri. (Photo by Sunil Ghosh/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

NOIDA, INDIA - AUGUST 11: Dak Kanwarias walk carrying holy water from the Ganga on the eve of Shivratri festival on August 11, 2015 in Noida, India. These Kanwars run a long distance to fetch holy water from the river Ganga, which is later offered at the local temples on Shivratri. (Photo by Sunil Ghosh/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

NOIDA, INDIA - AUGUST 11: Dak Kanwarias walk carrying holy water from the Ganga on the eve of Shivratri festival on August 11, 2015 in Noida, India. These Kanwars run a long distance to fetch holy water from the river Ganga, which is later offered at the local temples on Shivratri. (Photo by Sunil Ghosh/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

GHAZIABAD, INDIA - AUGUST 12: Devotees and kanwariyas offer holy Gangajal on Shiva Linga at ancient Dudheshwar Nath temple on the occasion of Shivratri festival on August 12, 2015 in Ghaziabad, India. (Photo by Sakib Ali/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

NEW DELHI, INDIA - AUGUST 12: The devotees and kanwarias perform puja and jalabhishek at Shiv Temple in Preet Vihar on August 12, 2015 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Arun Sharma/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

NEW DELHI, INDIA - AUGUST 12: The devotees and kanwarias perform puja and jalabhishek at Shiv Temple in Preet Vihar on August 12, 2015 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Arun Sharma/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

NEW DELHI, INDIA - AUGUST 12: The devotees and kanwarias perform puja and jalabhishek at Shiv Temple in Preet Vihar on August 12, 2015 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Arun Sharma/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

NEW DELHI, INDIA - AUGUST 12: The devotees and kanwarias perform puja and jalabhishek at Shiv Temple in Preet Vihar on August 12, 2015 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Arun Sharma/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

GHAZIABAD, INDIA - AUGUST 12: Devotees and kanwariyas offer holy Gangajal on Shiva Linga at ancient Dudheshwar Nath Temple on the occasion of Shivratri festival on August 12, 2015 in Ghaziabad, India. (Photo by Sakib Ali/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

NEW DELHI, INDIA - AUGUST 12: The devotees and kanwarias perform puja and jalabhishek at Shiv Temple in Preet Vihar on August 12, 2015 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Arun Sharma/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

GHAZIABAD, INDIA - AUGUST 12: Devotees and kanwariyas offer holy Gangajal on Shiva Linga at ancient Dudheshwar Nath Temple on the occasion of Shivratri festival on August 12, 2015 in Ghaziabad, India. (Photo by Sakib Ali/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

GHAZIABAD, INDIA - AUGUST 12: Kanwariyas going to offer holy Gangajal on Shiva Linga at ancient Dudheshwar Nath Temple on the occasion of Shivratri festival on August 12, 2015 in Ghaziabad, India. (Photo by Sakib Ali/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

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On Wednesday Hindus in India began the Shivratri festival which celebrates the marriage of the god Shiva and the goddess Parvarti. The festival begins with a pilgrimage from the river to collect holy water which is then carried to the temple. After, the holy water is offered up to Shiva Linga -- a statute representing Shiva. The beautiful photos above captured by various Hindustan Times photographers gives an inside look at the holy proceedings.